Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 19, 2024

1,309 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Winter Livestock (Tuesday) report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $346.81/cwt -12.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,615/hd at 466 lb · 105 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $294.98/cwt +7.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,655/hd at 561 lb · 87 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $315.58/cwt -19.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,355/hd at 430 lb · 84 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,309 7,180 1,331
Feeder cattle 902 7,102 468
Slaughter cattle 199 56 155
Replacement cattle 208 22 708

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was moderate. Feeder steers under 650lbs sold 5.00 to 9.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder steers over 650lbs sold unevenly steady. Feeder heifers under 450lbs sold mostly sharply lower while heifers over 450lbs sold unevenly steady. Slaughter cows had a higher trend across all weight classes and slaughter bulls saw the same higher trend. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday March 26, 2024.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–393 377 18 365.00–371.00 $365.69 $1,379 -15.52
435–438 437 5 358.00–367.50 $363.72 $1,589 -7.33
451–490 464 94 342.00–350.00 $345.48 $1,603 -4.85
465–495 thin fleshed 479 11 355.00–361.00 $358.18 $1,716 -8.83
516 516 23 317.50 $317.50 $1,638 -9.07
585 value added 585 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,814 —
596 596 27 300.00 $300.00 $1,788 -12.79
602 fancy 602 11 315.00 $315.00 $1,896 —
618–635 631 33 291.00–297.50 $293.04 $1,849 +4.04
699 699 17 254.50 $254.50 $1,779 -21.16
744 744 44 248.00 $248.00 $1,845 +3.00
752 752 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,737 -8.37
825–833 832 30 230.00–235.00 $234.34 $1,950 -11.59
883 883 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,792 -25.19
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
293 293 3 361.00 $361.00 $1,058 —
373 373 2 331.00 $331.00 $1,235 —
413 413 5 326.00 $326.00 $1,346 -31.24
544 544 10 306.00 $306.00 $1,665 -9.47
818 818 3 197.50 $197.50 $1,616 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 value added 360 4 365.00 $365.00 $1,314 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328–337 334 7 355.00–372.00 $367.24 $1,227 +20.97
356 value added 356 15 311.00 $311.00 $1,107 —
369 fancy 369 6 331.00 $331.00 $1,221 -54.00
390 390 6 320.00 $320.00 $1,248 -19.90
411–433 thin fleshed 429 42 321.00–323.00 $322.68 $1,384 -18.41
406–445 430 42 301.00–312.50 $308.49 $1,327 -18.52
479 fancy 479 31 338.00 $338.00 $1,619 —
509 fancy 509 45 330.00 $330.00 $1,680 +2.50
518–535 524 12 295.00–297.50 $295.85 $1,550 -10.17
550–572 thin fleshed 560 82 290.00–299.00 $296.26 $1,659 +2.72
576 576 5 274.00 $274.00 $1,578 -8.88
624 624 9 250.00 $250.00 $1,560 -21.35
653–676 657 56 245.00–257.00 $253.52 $1,666 +1.83
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
717 717 5 207.50 $207.50 $1,488 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,316 -13.48

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 9 363.00 $363.00 $1,216 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105 1105 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $785 —
1115 1115 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,004 —
925–1289 1178 85-90% 122 102.00–137.00 $126.12 $1,486 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–1467 1378 80-85% 52 112.00–137.50 $129.08 $1,779 +8.45
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540–1553 1549 75-80% 4 126.00–132.00 $129.51 $2,006 +16.30

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1595 1595 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,691 —
960–2305 1798 11 129.00–152.50 $140.63 $2,529 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–882 thin fleshed 832 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 27 206.00–215.00 $210.09 $1,748
760–1055 892 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 20 172.00–198.00 $182.78 $1,630
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
840–1295 1053 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 121.00–141.00 $134.72 $1,419
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
720–1045 922 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 152.50–166.00 $158.62 $1,462

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
948–1060 990 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,200.00–2,300.00 $2,240.15
1099 1099 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1172 1172 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 2,325.00 $2,325.00
1225–1245 1236 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 15 2,000.00–2,125.00 $2,067.17
1237–1295 1278 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 18 2,100.00–2,800.00 $2,682.43
1480 1480 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1028 1028 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,775.00 $1,775.00
1148 1148 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1094–1332 1220 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 23 1,475.00–1,710.00 $1,635.12
1242–1372 1313 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 1,700.00–1,860.00 $1,791.20
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1090 1090 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1188 1188 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —
1220 1220 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
1200–1630 1239 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 16 2,400.00–2,900.00 $2,780.08 —
1297 1297 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 11 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
1390 fancy 1390 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
1408 1408 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —
1480 1480 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —
1500 1500 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —
1580 1580 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.